August 3rd – Chasewater itself was gorgeous. From the honeybees busy on the knapweed, which looks so very like thistles, to the thistles themselves, which are now doing the seeding thing. Amphibious bistory dabbles the western edge of the lake, and the north heath looked gorgeous.
We’re so lucky to have this nearby.
July 27th – On Clayhanger Common, there is a thriving population of teasels. A spiky, spiny, purple, prehistoric-looking plant, our ancestors used the dried seed heads to tease wool and fabric.
Some of these plants – once a very rare sight in these parts – are six feet tall now and in rude health. A fine symbol of the biodiversity and health of the common here – which only 35 years ago was a polluted, barren and filthy refuse tip.
July 11th – My return via Walsall for some shopping took me up through Yewtree, Delves, Highgate and over Church Hill. Rounding the corner on the cycleway, at the foot of the old, disused steps down to The Ditch (that’s the name of a place, honest), a fantastic display of flowers.
What a splendid ride for a Friday at the end of a very, very hard week.
July 5th – despite the advancing season, the flowers by the canal at Aldridge are still wonderfully prolific and diverse. No idea what any of these are apart from the groundsel, but all beautiful and all within 10 metres of each other.
July 1st – At the other end of my morning commute, Telford. The flowerbed here that held crocuses and tulips early in the year now holds these delightful blooms – the only ones I recognise are the blue lobelia.
So many people passed this flowerbed getting off the train, and never gave it a glance. I felt sorry for the flowers, who were clearly trying very hard to get our attention.
So I shared them here.
June 27th – This post was inspired by top Pelsall geezer Matt Drew, who spotted a different clump of these fellows and posted a pic on Facebook last week, inspiring me to look out for them.
These delightfully spiky caterpillars are the larvae of the beautiful peacock butterfly. They really are rather impressively hostile-looking, but cute at the same time – I spotted them in a nettle bed at the top of Shire Oak Hill, near the old quarry there.
In summer, the adult female peacock will lay between 200 and 500 eggs at the very top of a stinging nettle in direct sunlight. 10 days later they’ll hatch, and the emerging caterpillars will spin a communal web-tent out of silk (see the top picture) which they’ll live in until large enough to leave; they live and grow in clumps at the top of nettles, and as they grow, they may move from nettle to nettle in a patch together as a group, before pupating separately.
They’re easy to spot as a dark infestation at the tops of the tallest nettles in a nettle bed.
Male peacock butterflies are very territorial, and can often be seen attempting to chase away birds that may be coming near their selected nettle patch.
I’m glad I found some – and thanks again to Matt for the inspiration to look.
June 18th – Back in Leicester, and a better look at South Wigston station’s wasteland garden. Today, amongst the truly beautiful, feral flowers, I found a plaque which answers many questions.
Wonder what happened to the friends of this lonely halt? I think I’m the only friend it has these days. But the love is strong, and that’s what counts.
I’m certain there’s a story in here somewhere.
May 20th – Spotted on the way home this evening – red campion. Seeing lots of this this year; although named red, most of what I see is shades of hot pink. A lovely, delicate flower, this is growing in the hedgerow at Sandhills on Shire Oak Hill.
The wildflowers really are excellent this year.
May 9th – They’ve finally done it – and what a brood! The swans that nest every year at Catshill, Brownhills (yes, it’s the same pair), who for years have not had cygnets have just hatched eight grey balls of fluff.
I saw them this afternoon – the nest was empty, and mum and dad were further up the canal, showing the chicks their world. As Warren Parry pointed out after I posted yesterday, it’s eight, not seven little birds. Eight is a fairly large family, and they all look healthy. I feel quite emotional over it.
Please, if you go to see them, don’t be tempted to feed them bread. It has no nutritional value for the birds and can be fatal for the wee cygnets. If you want to feed them, a little wild bird seed will do.
May 2nd – On an errand to Lichfield, I stopped at the crossing to get over the A51 near the Friary. I looked to my right over Festival Gardens. I spotted this.
This… is gorgeous. Mother and child on a carpet of fallen blossom petals. No idea who they were, but I wish them the very best.
A wonderful thing to see on a dull Friday afternoon.
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